GB2352384A

GB2352384A - Apparatus for catching insects

Info

Publication number: GB2352384A
Application number: GB9914698A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gary Johnson; Jacqueline Shirley Rainbird
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-06-24
Filing date: 1999-06-24
Publication date: 2001-01-31
Also published as: GB9914698D0

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a chamber 3 having an opening 4 through which insects can enter and leave the chamber, and an insect filter 5 provided within the chamber. An air extractor 6 is provided such that, in use, the inlet port is located adjacent an insect and the air extractor is operated to draw the insect into the chamber to be held temporarily in the filter. When the extractor is turned off the insect can exit the chamber through the opening. Preferably, the extractor is reversible, allowing the insect to be blown out of the chamber through the opening.

Description

2352384 Title: Aparatus for catching insects Tht; present invent-ion

relates to an appa.ratus for catching insects.

Vaxioas apparatus have been. proposed to dispense with insects including those flior swatting flies, paper with an adhesive surfaf;e to which insects stick, or cinernical sprays. All these end up killing the insects, The invention seeks to provide an apparatus for catching insects, and the insects earl then be released into an alternative environment such outdoors ftom a building.

Accordin- to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for catching insects comprising: a) a chamber having an insect inlet port, and an insect filter therein, and b) an air extractor connected to said chamber on the side of the filter remote from the inlet port, in use, said inlet port can be located adjacent an insect and said air extractor operated to draw the insect into said chamber and be temporarily beld in said filte.-uritil the extractor is turned off to allow the insect to exit the chamber through fhe inlet port.

The chamber may be in the form of a tapered cylinder with the inlet port located at one wider end of the cylinder and the filter located adjacent thit narrow end of flie cylinder.

2 The air extractor may be located in a housing connected to the chamber. The housing may be generally pistol-shaped. The housing may support a sAritch such as a trigger switch to turn the extractor on and off. The housing and chamber may be a unitary moulding.

The extractor may be electrically operated, e.g. with batteries. The batteries may be housed in said housing.

The extractor may be in the form of a fan.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure I shows a perspective view, and Figure 2 shows a cross section view of Figure I Referring to the drawings there is showm an apparatus I for catching insects such as a fly 2.

Apparatus I has a chamber in the form of a tapered cylinder 3 with an insect inlet port 4 located at its wider end, and an insect filter 5 located adjacent the narrow end of the cylinder 3. Filter 5 may be a mesh, e.g of plastics such as nylon.

3 An air extractor iz proyided on the sidc of the filter remote froni the inlet port. The air extractor is in the form of a fan blade 6 mounted for rotation in a pistol-shaped housin1g, 7. Fan 6 -is rotated by an electric motor 8 in the housing, and tht; motor is turned "on" or "ofr by trigger swittch 9. 'Motor 8 is powered by battery 10. A housing air exit port I I is also provided. Housing 7 has an integral "pistol" handle 7A.

Housing 8 and cylinder 3 may be formed as a unitary component, e.g. moulded in plastics.

In use the apparatus I is held by handie 7A and inlet port 4 can be located ad jacent an insect 2 to be caught. Fan 6 is operated by trigger switch 9 which sucks air through inlet port 4, though filter 5 and out through exit port 11. Insect 2 is thus drawn into the chamber and is temporarily held in the filter. The insect can then be carried to an alternative location, e.g. outdoors, whereupon the extractor can be turned off by releasing trigg-.r switch 9 to allow the insect to exit the chamber on its own accord through tht inlet port without being harmed.

The apparatus may take a form different to that specifically described above. For example it may be advantageous to reverse the direction of flow of the fan when it is desired to expel the insect from the filter rather thail leave Llie insect to exit the chamber on its o,vn accord. A suitable s,%Nitch could be provided for this purpose, for example to reverse the polarity of the batteries. Also the air extractor could be mechanically driven rather than by an electric motor.

4 Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without, departing ftom the scope of the present invention.

I

Claims

1 An apparatus for catching insects, the apparatus comprising:

a chamber having an insect inlet port; an insect filter provided within the chamber; and, an air extractor connected to the chamber on the side of the filter remote from the inlet port, such that, in use, the inlet port is located adjacent an insect and the air extractor is operated to draw the insect into the chamber to be held temporarily in the filter until the extractor is turned off, when the insect can exit the chamber through the inlet port.

2. An apparatus according to Claim 1, in which the chamber comprises a frusto-conical portion, in which the inlet port is located at the larger diameter end of the portion and the filter is located at the smaller diameter end of the portion.

3. An apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, further comprising a housing to which the chamber is connected.

4. An apparatus according to Claim 3, in which the air extractor is provided within the housing.

5. An apparatus according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, in which the housing is pistol shaped.

6. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the air extractor is in the form of a fan.

7. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the air extractor is reversible, such that the air extractor may be reversed to blow the insect out through the inlet port.

1 6

8. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the filter comprises a mesh.

9. An apparatus according to Claim 8, in which the mesh is formed of a plastics material.

10. An apparatus for catching insects, substantially as shown in or as described with respect to the accompanying drawings.